“But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the Child and His mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream … he went and lived in a city called Nazareth.”
(Matthew 2:19-22a, 23a ESV)
I wonder what it was like for Mary and Joseph, returning to Nazareth? They were not the same people they used to be. Mary was now an experienced mother who had seen many wonders and evils during her years away. Joseph, too, had grown, learning to follow God’s directions when their lives depended on it.
And now they were home—and who could they tell their stories to? Maybe nobody. Jesus’ own safety meant it would be best to keep silent. And so they settled in to life in a small village, sharing the common concerns of parents everywhere. Except that they were raising the Messiah.
They must have felt out of place; and we, too, are out of place, if we belong to Jesus our Savior. Our concerns are different than those of the people around us; we look to Jesus to show us what truly matters and how to live. We do this because we love the Savior who rescued us at the cost of His own suffering, death, and resurrection. We may be strangers in our own towns and even to our families, but because of Jesus, we find our home in God.
We Pray: When I feel out of place, let me trust in You, Father. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* When have you felt out of place?
* Why?
* How can you be sure you belong in God’s family?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.